AARP Announces “Hacking Menopause Challenge” Winners

Challenge recognizes developers creating tech-enabled products to solve menopause symptoms

WASHINGTON —AARP Innovation Labs is pleased to announce three winners of the Hacking Menopause Challenge, in collaboration with Hackster.io: EloCare, Pride Chill, and NYX Systems. The startup companies were selected for developing promising, non-invasive technology solutions to combat common menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes, fatigue, and sleep disorders.

The Hacking Menopause Challenge was announced in January at CES 2020 in response to a 2019 AARP report which found that 93% of menopausal women would be interested in a technology solution to alleviate their menopause symptoms. As part of the challenge, AARP sought to find the world’s best engineers and creative thinkers who are passionate about finding ways to enhance the quality of life for women, before, during, and after menopause, through science-based approaches to wellness and assistive technology.

“AARP is engaging with the best creative minds of the femtech industry to build meaningful solutions for the 1 in 3 American women who are currently in a phase of menopause,” said Carey Kyler, Senior Innovation Catalyst for AARP Innovation Labs. “We’re proud to highlight the work of the Hacking Menopause Challenge winners, and to help open the dialogue about the more than 35 menopause symptoms women may experience, making it okay to talk about, and to help an underserved market so that they can live their best lives.” 

The winners’ solutions included:

·       EloCare’s Menopause Assistant is a wearable technology and mobile app that monitors menopausal symptoms, evaluates treatment, creates customized plans, and connects users with medical care so they can be diagnosed in time and get optimal treatments to manage menopause with ease.

·       Pride Chill’s system helps combat hot flashes by cooling the air users breathe in. The technology targets users’ respiratory cooling mechanisms, creating a cooling sensation throughout the body.

·       NYX Project’s platform aims to help alleviate users’ symptoms while sleeping, as many menopausal women experience insomnia. The technology tracks patients’ sleep through three devices, displays the data, and then provides recommendations to help provide restful sleep. 

Each winner will be awarded up to $5,000 dollars, as well as a possible opportunity to work with the AARP Innovation Labs team to further build out their solution. 

To learn more, visit https://hackingmenopause.com/.

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About AARP
AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media.